Includes fifty legendary tales depicting certain romantic episodes in the lives of well-known heroes and famous men, or in the history of a people. Children naturally take a deep interest in such stories. The reading of them will not only give pleasure but will lay the foundation for broader literary studies, as nearly all are the subjects of frequent allusions in poetry and prose. Ages 6-9

186 pages

$9.95

A LACONIC ANSWER

MANY miles beyond Rome there was a famous country which we
call Greece. The people of Greece were not
united like the Romans; but instead there were several states, each of which had its own rulers.

Some of the people in the southern part of the country were
called Spartans, and they were noted for their simple
habits and their bravery. The name of their land was
Laconia, and so they were sometimes called Lacons.

One of the strange rules which the Spartans had, was that
they should speak briefly, and never use more words than
were needed. And so a short answer is often spoken of as
being laconic; that is, as being such an answer as a
Lacon would be likely to give.

There was in the northern part of Greece a land called
Macedon; and this land was at one time ruled over by
a war-like king named Philip.

[103] Philip of Macedon wanted to become the master of all
Greece. So he raised a great army, and made war upon the
other states, until nearly all of them were forced to call
him their king. Then he sent a letter to the Spartans in
Laconia, and said, "If I
go down into your country, I will level your great city to
the ground."

In a few days, an answer was brought back to him. When
he opened the letter, he found only one word written there.

That word was "IF."

It was as much as to say, "We are not afraid of you so
long as the little word 'if' stands in your way."

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